I Still
by Mystical Starlight
Summary: After Hogwarts, Draco disappears with little more than a kiss goodbye. Nine years later he still held Ginny's torch, but Ginny grew on. She was now 25 with a career, and a husband. Was there any place left for Draco's torch?
1. Chapter 1

**I Still…**

A/N We've all read the story. They meet, they fall in love in school, and after a brief rocky period, they live happily ever after. This is my take on that story, but I don't start in school. They fell in love in school, but then Draco left to be a part of the war. Ginny did _not _wait for him. She got married. Draco comes back and… The rest is history.

(PS The title of the story is based on two relatively main stream songs that I just happen to enjoy. The first one is I Still, by the Backstreet Boys, and the other is I Still Believe by Wayne Wonder. If you want to get in the mood for the story or anything, listen to the two of them before or during your enjoyment of this story (= )

* * *

_It had been well over nine years time since last I saw the face of my beloved. Even now, as I write this, I love her without reason, without limits, without question, and with all of my heart, and that is truly saying something. We had a love so brief that it almost isn't even worth talking about, but she left such an impression on me and my soul, that I can hardly understand where she had been for all of the time leading up to my learning of her existence._

_My name is Draco Lucius Malfoy, and I was born into a world set in ice. I met Ginevra Weasley long before either of us went to Hogwarts, but I doubt she has any memories of it. Our parents were two sets of Purebloods, which was at that time very difficult to find in the Wizarding world, as many were Muggle Born or Half blooded after the first Wizarding War. She had many older brothers, I never kept count as to how many, but she was often off to the side, holding her mother's hand. She was hidden away, so nobody could see the beauty she was unknowingly tempted to become._

_I honestly and truly began to take real notice of her when she was a second year at Hogwarts. One year prior, she had been the one to open the Chamber of Secrets, and that had truly been of fascination me. I didn't learn until much later that my father was the cause of the pain that was inflicted upon her, and that was part of the reason I insisted upon meeting her in the first place. She was no longer the strong witch who was able to do something nobody else could. She was a scared little vessel that my father figured out how to take advantage of. I felt guilty. This was apparent to me, and me alone. Had I let it known, I surely would have been punished, and viciously at that. She wasn't all that much younger than me, but she had that delicate air about her that made me want to protect her, even though I was quite sure she hated me. In all actuality she was vivacious, mouthy and full of energy, but to me she was a snowflake; one wrong move and she would break. _

_In the summer before my seventh year, I finally introduced myself. I made sure none of her crazy brothers were around first, however. I wasn't afraid of any of them in particular, but put that many redheads in the room with the son of the man who could have potentially hurt their little sister… I would have been a redhead about it too, but in my family, it just wasn't in the genes._

_We became quick friends actually, but we had to keep it a secret, as none of her Gryffindor friends, nor my Slytherin associates would have understood our strange union. Friendship soon blossomed into infatuation from both ends, and very soon after we met, we became more than just friends._

_I took her virginity…she very obviously did not take mine. It was a beautiful night, but not very long afterward, I was sent off to fight in that ridiculous war. Neither of us was quite sure which side I was on, but that was alright._

_It was an unspoken knowledge that neither of us planned on this being a forever kind of deal, but I knew she had begun to hope… I would never admit it but...I was rather looking forward to all the lovely things she spoke of. Children, a home in the sunniest edge of Europe... A real family. Something tangible..._

_Before I left, I gave her the sweetest kiss a guy like me could manage, and a ring. The ring was made of white gold, with a large emerald in the center, (quite the Slytherin, I know). Engraved onto the outside of the ring were two simple words that I never got the chance to explain..._

**_'I Still…'_**

* * *

Who are you now?  
Are you still the same  
Or did you change somehow?  
What do you do  
At this very moment when I think of you?

-I Still, BSB

* * *

"Abigail!"

That was the first thing Draco heard Ginny say aloud in 9 years. He knew it was her; he could have recognized that voice anywhere, but when he turned to look at her, she was no place to be seen.

He raised an eyebrow when a small child clutched his leg. He was startled, but he could definitely see a familial resemblance when he saw the little girls face. He was brought back to his thoughts of her while he had been gone. He fantasized about what their children would look like... What she would look like with a plump baby bump stretching the fabric of her robes. He shook his head, doing his best to get the image out of his head. Nevertheless, he leaned down, lifting the toddler into his arms and chuckled as she grabbed his long, slender nose.

"Shop, shop!" she squealed with an imbalanced tone of excitement and freedom. She wriggled happily in his arms, then leaned forward to press her face against his chest. She closed her eyes with a silly grin as he began to stroke the top of her head lightly.

"Well hello there little one. Aren't you just the prettiest little witch I've ever seen? You have the prettiest red hair I've seen since-"

That was when he laid eyes on her. It was like he had gone back in time and seen that very same 16 year old beauty that he had left behind. She was running up to him, her long red hair billowing behind her. She was in a set of short green robes that he couldn't help but smirk at. Back in their Hogwarts days, she used to look so sexy in his robes...

"I'm so sorry! Abigail Anne Weasley! You are such a naughty little girl! What is wrong with you?" She put a hand to her hip momentarily, before reaching up to grab the small child from Draco's arms. He nearly went weak when her hand brushed his neck. He licked his lips, breathing her in.

She still smells exactly the same...

The toddler whimpered and clutched the strange man with all the strength she could muster.

"No fair!"

With a mocked choke, Draco tugged the child away from his body. "Here you go… She looks just like you…" He used the line as an excuse to search her face, hoping for some clue that she recognized him in the least. It didn't seem as though she did.

She chuckled and cuddled the girl against her chest. "She should. All us Weasley's look just alike… Her mum is rather ticked, to be completely honest with you. Has absolutely no Granger in her whatsoever. Trouble maker like her uncles, red headed as all of us. Seems the only thing she's gotten from her mother is her small size, but I figure that'll just help her be sneakier." She gave him a small smile, realizing inwardly that she had begun to babble. "Thank you by the way… She hardly ever does this you know. Generally she hates men."

Draco scratched the back of his neck. 'She has absolutely no idea who I am…'

"Well, at least you know she has good taste." He took a shot at the smirk he was so well known for in school, but Ginny wasn't even looking in his direction.

"Thank you so much for your help. I need to take my nephew for his wand now, but you take care okay?"

He turned and saw a very tall, very gangly red-headed boy standing in front of the Quidditch Supply store and knew straight away that he belonged to Ron. He wasn't sure how he knew, but he screamed Ron to him. Perhaps it was the way he had a licorice rope wrapped around his neck with one end dangling from his mouth.

"Any time…" he whispered, although he was very well aware that he was alone.

* * *

When Draco was alone in the safety of his own home, he allowed some frustration to come out on his wall. After he was through and the wall was sufficiently punished, he whispered a spell to allow the wall to close, and then did it over again, over and over again, until he was too sore to continue.

He took a deep breath as he stepped into the shower. He tilted his head back, allowing the hot water to trail over his body. Why am I so upset? I left her. I never owled her...I never expected her to wait for me, so why in the hell am I so bloody surprised about this now?

And yet she had no children it seemed. She had no ring…Although…Had he remembered to look? Probably not. He didn't think there was a ring… But then again, if there had been no ring, she had likely taken off the one he had given to her all those years ago.

He pulled a tall glass of fire whiskey to his lips after he poured it, gulping it down in the least classy way he could have. He hadn't had a drink in many years. Where he had been, it had been nearly impossible to sneak away for long enough to get a good stein of something sharp and warm. He put his face in his hands, trying to shake away his memories of her, but it was no use. Things had not gone the way he had wanted them to. Not in any way... Not at all.

She'd grown up without him… He had noticed many things in their brief encounter that he just couldn't shake. For one, she'd allowed her hair to grow.

"_I can't wait until I graduate. I'm going to cut my hair as short as possible and keep it that way! I hate the hassle! More than that, I hate the fact that I keep it this way because my parents tell me I have to..."_

"_No Ginny…I love the way your hair looks long! I think you should keep it that way!"_

She had kept her hair long, that was for sure. That fact alone gave Draco a slight smile, but that was all he had to smile about, that was for sure. She had forgotten him, and that fact alone hurt him more than he had ever been hurt in his whole life. The war had been brutal but he would have gone through it all again if only she had missed him.

He poured himself another drink, losing himself in the memory of her wrapping her hair around his eyes, whispering a soft "_Missed me, missed me, now you gotta-"_

* * *

"This kid is going to be the end of me mother! Please explain to me how you had seven, and you didn't kill one or two of us along the way!" Ginny put her hand on her forehead, pushing Abby's stroller into the kitchen of the Burrow. It smelled just like chocolate chip scones... This was one of those smells that brought her back to those dangerous memories of her childhood.

Molly took Abigail into her arms and chuckled. "What did she do now Ginevra?"

Ginny sat at the table, picking up a green apple. "She unclipped herself from her stroller and made a mad dash for a strange man in the middle of Diagon Alley! He must have thought the worst of me. What kind of caregiver gives their charge a chance to escape?"

Molly chuckled and sat across from her, pulling the baby into her lap. "Well, she is a Weasley. Do you know how many times you wandered off when you were that age? It was terrible! And with six other children to watch I didn't always notice you were missing right away."

Ginny swallowed the bite she had been chewing and felt her jaw drop. "Mother! You lost me? What is wrong with you! When did this happen? How often?"

Molly chuckled and shook her head. "You're one to talk Miss. At least I didn't find you twenty minutes later in the arms of a strange man."

"You could have very well never found me alive at all!"

Abigail leaned into her grandmothers chest and curled into a ball.

"You've always had an exaggeration problem Ginevra. Anyway, I have seven children. I think if I was going to lose anybody, as you so clearly stated yourself, I would have lost one or two before you, don't you think? You never know, I may very well have had ten or eleven children, and you would have been none the wiser." She winked at her scandalized daughter.

Ginny chuckled and reached for a scone. "I'm not used to this mum. I used to babysit Alex when he was little, but I was never put in the position to be his mother like I am with Ab..." She reached out and stroked the sleepy baby's long red hair.

The clock on the wall chimed, causing Ginny to swivel around. Her face was flat upon Late For Appointment.

She jumped out of her chair and grabbed her coat. "I need to go! I have to go and sit with that damned magazine. I made the cover which I know should be an honor, but I just find last minute engagements such as these to be completely bothersome!"

Molly chuckled, bringing her now completely sleeping granddaughter over her to her shoulder. "Only a daughter of mine would be bothered by fame."

* * *

An owl squawked as it flew straight through the window, and into the flat that Draco had purchased for himself, for when he came back home from the war. It had lasted a lot longer than he had thought that it would, but at least he still had his father's fortune. In one corner sat a large stack of magazines. He wanted to stay updated about life while he was away, and tabloids seemed to be the best way for him to do so. He liked being in the loop, even if, with all things considered, it was irrelevant.

He looked up just in time to watch the Wizarding Breath magazine fall into his face. He groaned and ripped the magazine off of his face. This magazine was equivalent to America's People. The cover made his face fall.

**Celebrity Wives Share Their Stories!(pg 143)**

Several beautiful women were scattered across the cover, but right in the middle was the redheaded beauty he had grown to obsess over. She had her arms crossed and had a wand dangling from one hand.

He opened the magazine and searched frantically.

Damned magazines without their damned page numbers!

He finally found what he was looking for.

There was a picture of Ginny with her arms wrapped around a man he had never seen in his life. Both of them were sitting on a rather expensive in appearance, solid gold broom. He looked for a caption, but there wasn't one, so he simply read her part of the article.

'**Eileen Inkberry**: _So, Mrs. Smucker, what does it feel like to be married to the best __Chaser Quidditch history has ever seen? And all the while, you are an incredible Seeker in your own right!._

**Ginevra Smucker**: _Well, I'll be honest, I still feel that I will always be a humble Weasley at heart. I love Darby more than I ever thought I would, and I'm so very happy to have found him, but I don't think that I love him any more just because he's a Quidditch player. I would love him just as much if he were a janitor. '_

At this, Draco couldn't help but choke. Ginevra Smucker? That even hurt to think. Smucker…Ugly name if there ever was one…

'**Inkberry**:_So, how did you two meet?_

**Smucker**: _Well, this is a story that Darby hates repeating, but I'll give you the exclusive. Just don't tell him I've told you! We met a few months after my last year at Hogwarts. I tried out for the Chudly Cannons. Wimbourne Wasps was the first team I ever went up against and he was there, of course. He caught me in the stands and said 'I'll make a deal with you. If you beat me I'll leave you alone, but if I win, we go on a date.' I won, and needless to say he didn't stop bothering me. Finally, after the one only time in history that the Cannons lost to the Wasps I actually agreed to go out to dinner with him. The date was terrible, but the company was wonderful, so we agreed to go out a second time. The rest is history.'_

At that, Draco just had to put the magazine down. Not only was she a world famous Quidditch player, she was married to one as well.

He clenched his hands into fists and drew them to his face, unsure as to what he was really feeling. Jealousy, rage, fear...

"_Fear?" _he thought aloud. What was he afraid of? Was this Smucker character really a threat? Yes. Yes he was, but not because he had a better connection with her, or because they were a better couple, or any of those other cosmetic reasons. He was a threat because he had been around for all of the years that Draco hadn't been able to.

He lifted the magazine and read through their 'Relationship Stats', as they were called. They had been married for six years, but still no children. How was that possible? Ginny would _never _go so long, voluntarily without having at least one or two.

_This has to stop. I need answers, and I need them now. I am going to see her again and this time, I need to make sure she knows exactly who I am. _

* * *

**A/N** Hey there everybody. I have decided to start this story completely over. There is another version of this story also on my account, but I am going to be deleting it as soon as I have all of my chapters written out and published. I want to keep that one there just in case something goes wrong and I lose what I've written.

This is chapter one, which is very similar to the other chapter one, but after a few chapters it is going to be completely different. If you already read my other version of this story, keep in mind that EVERYTHING is being changed, including the plot, and it was never finished. I have rewritten it all and will be posting a chapter a week hopefully.

And while we're here, I would like to whore myself out a little bit! I have another story I'm working on entitled Baby Was A Centerfold. It is a Lily/Scorpius fic which isn't as popular so not as many people are reading it, but I love it so please read and review! Thanks so much, and I hope you enjoy my writing!


	2. Chapter 2

**I Still…**

_Took Her For Granted_

**A/N **So, here's chapter number two. I didn't get any reviews for number one, which brings me to a point: Some people say "I would NEVER hold out for a certain number of reviews before I posted because that is just petty and stupid!" and I kind of agree with that, but I also feel as though it makes no sense to continue working on a story that seemingly has no readers, you know what I mean? I feel that if I don't get a decent amount of reviews for this story after posting this chapter, I will just stop working on it all together. Sorry if that seems harsh to anybody but what's the point of it if nobody is going to read it, you know?

And on another note, here I go again, whoring myself out lol. I have quite a lot of other stories out there, most of which are finished. So, if you like my work _please _go into my profile and check out my other stuff! I am currently working on a story called Baby Was a Centerfold, which is a Lily Luna/Scorpius story. It's a pretty unique plot if you ask me, so go on and check it out (=

Now, on to my story. Sit back, relax and enjoy the show!:-D

* * *

_A sweet array of long, languid kisses were being placed down 16-year-old Ginny's freckled, goose bump ridden neck as she giggled into the thatch of blonde hair that was very close to her face. In situations such as this one, Ginny could generally be placed in one of two positions. She could either be the lustful seductress with all of the power in the world to get him to do everything he wanted, or she could be the nervous little nymph, unable to control what power she did have in any sort of convincing manner. At the moment, her position was the latter._

_"My love, come on! We'll be late, and if I'm late for work one more time, they'll fire me! How will I afford an excuse to stay at school during winter holiday if I don't have a job to keep me back? Did you put that into account Mister Malfoy?"_

_Draco slammed her dainty frame against the wall and slipped one hand up her skirt, sliding one long finger along the underside of her panties. He loved this. He had her right where he wanted her, and would never in his life admit that he would stop in a second if she had really wanted him to._

_Upon his hand reaching it's official destination, he raised an eyebrow and lifted the corner of his mouth in a smirk. "Why, look what we have here. You wore a thong today. And do I feel some lace? Naughty little girl... What's the occasion?"_

_She giggled and leaned in, suckling on one soft earlobe. She swiftly slid from the latter position to the former, giving him the softest purr she could into his ear. "I thought maybe tonight would be the perfect night for the first time that we let ourselves…"_

The loud screams of the two playing children pulled Ginny out of her startling daydream. She took a long, deep breath, wiping the sweat off of her forehead.

* * *

I still feel you  
Like I'm right beside you  
Though everything's been said and done

-I Still, BSB

* * *

The morning was young, the weather was wonderful, and yet she had a squeaky toddler sitting in the pink stroller she'd bought a year ago. Somehow she had been roped into taking care of the little girl for the weekend so Hermione and Ron could have a weekend alone with their son. He only had one week left before he started school, and they wanted to do something special for him.

Ginny tried her best not to be resentful, but sometimes she just couldn't help herself. She and her husband were both in town at the same time for the first time in near forever, and she was stuck watching Abigail! She pouted and hoisted Abby into her stroller.

"Come on baby! We're ready to go into town!" Ginny shouted up the steps to her husband as she clipped the seat belt around her nieces tiny waist.

"Town baby!" squealed Abigail, who's English wasn't quite as wonderful as it could (or perhaps _should) _have been.

_I blame that on Ron_, Ginny thought to herself with a smirk. Her brother had the habit of baby talking when it came to children, but with Abigail, nobody could understand his incoherent baby talk. Ginny could swear that even _Abby _would raise one eyebrow at him as though he were the baby and not she.

"Coming Nevra!"

Her husband was the only person to ever use the back end of her name for a nick name. She shrugged off the thought and pulled on the long white pea coat that he had brought her home as a gift.

Ginny smiled as her husband came down the spiral staircase. She bit her lower lip. He was beautiful…Ripped… He was positively beautiful to look at, and yet for some reason, speaking to him leaved something to be desired. He was talented in the things he did. Quidditch, and...Quidditch.

She looked at him from the corner of her eye. Every woman in the world, (and some men as well) wanted to be her, and at the moment she was perfectly glad that she was.

Her own body was not half bad either. She was the only female on any team in the league at the moment, but they didn't make the rules lax for her. They made her train just as hard as the 6'5" men on the team. She ran five miles a day, flew along with the others, even in the snow. The only thing she had in her favor was her own locker room. The work she did definitely paid off in the long run. She was rewarded with slender, muscular legs, a taut stomach and a bum ripe for the squeezing.

"I missed you so much you creeper!" she squeaked excitedly, as she hopped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist. She pressed her face into his neck and smiled against his skin. She was very happy to have him back at home with her. All the time they spent away from one another, it was nice to have him back at home, and in her arms.

The night before, he had come to bed after she was already fast asleep, and when she woke up this morning, he was too far gone to be awoken. This was truly the first time she saw him in months, and she was wasting absolutely no time getting reacquainted with him.

This routine had become quite the tradition for them at this point. Every time he came home, he would leave her a gift in the kitchen. A note was placed on top, every time saying the same thing. "_Please do not open this until I am awake to see you!" _And every time…She would open it way before he was awake, like a little kid on Christmas holiday. At first she had tried to re-wrap it, but that never worked. Eventually, Darby had stopped caring. So long as she got the gift and he got his sleep, he was perfectly fine with her opening the gifts early.

She had tried her best in the earlier days of their relationship to buy him things in return. She had gotten him a great many gifts, but he never seemed to enjoy her efforts. He had just as much, if not _more _money than she did. If he wanted something, he tended to purchase it for himself. Everything else was just filler. He hadn't grown up poor, as she had. She didn't buy herself expensive, irrelevant gifts, so he had taken to purchasing for her.

Darby wrapped an arm around her waist. "Hello my darling. I do my best to keep my creeping tendencies at bay but when I'm with you, it just spills out!" Darling didn't come naturally out of his mouth. He instead said it with an over-dramatic drawl, keeping sure to leave his jaw down just long enough to make sure it was obvious that he was utilizing the word in jest.

Ginny giggled contentedly as he wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her just a tad too tightly.

"Hullo!" came a squeal from inside the baby carriage. "Town baby!"

Ginny chuckled and put both hands on the carriage. "One kiss?" she asked, pretending to need permission from the tiny baby.

"Kiss, kiss." Abigail clapped her hands and craned her neck to be able to see from the odd angle she was at.

Darby leaned in and gave Ginny a sweet kiss, ending with a raspberry against her lips. Ginny chuckled once more and then stood, brushing the front of her body, making sure that she wasn't disheveled, in case there were cameras waiting for the famous couple outside.

"Okay. Let's go then!"

* * *

Draco took a left turn and onto the exact street that he instantly didn't want to be on. She was there again, and she looked as beautiful as ever. She was wearing a long white pea coat... It made her look like the angel that he knew she was. In that moment, he was actually _excited_ to see Ginny. That was…Until she realized who she was with…

It was that Smucker fool…

He rolled his eyes.

"Abigail Weasley where are you going! Come back here right this instant you brat!"

_Again?_ Draco thought to himself, and looked around. A tiny red bob of curls was rushing toward him, arms thrust up. He chuckled and leaned down to lift her when she reached him.

"Hey there," he said, as she thrust her face into his chest. He readjusted their positioning so that she was seated comfortably on his arm.

"Town baby!" she squeaked, clutching his shoulders with her tiny fingers. "Town baby!"

Draco raised an eyebrow, unsure what that phrase was supposed to mean, but he shrugged it off.

"I'm sure you're not in town all alone silly girl. Where's auntie Ginny?"

Ginny rushed over and put a hand to her forehead. "I am so sorry! You must think I'm the worst aunt in the whole entire world!"

Ginny stroked the little girl's head, all the while looking at Draco. He could have sworn that recognition flashed through her eyes, but she said nothing about it.

He chuckled and shook his head. "Not at all. Quite the contrary in fact."

He handed the little girl back to her and turned to walk away.

"Who is this?" came an agitated voice he didn't recognize. He felt his fists clench involuntarily when he saw that the voice indeed belonged to Ginny's husband. _Smucker..._ He shuddered.

Ginny put one delicate hand on his shoulder and halted him.

"We met this man a month or so ago. Actually, the last time we were in this very part of town, she escaped from her stroller in quite the same way she did today, and ran right to him. I swear he must have candy in his pockets or something, because every time he's around, Abby runs to him!"

Abigail perked up at the thought. "Candy?"

Draco chuckled and reached into his pocket. He actually _did _have a small piece of wrapped chocolate. "Here you go sweet girl. Stay with Auntie from now on okay-"

"Well there you go, now we understand the mystery. Can we go now?" He didn't seem to be aware of the fact that he had just interrupted the sweet conversation. Even if he was, both Ginny and Draco were quite sure he wouldn't have cared all too much.

Ginny rolled her eyes at her rude husband and licked her lips. "Sorry about him. I'll see you later perhaps."

And she was gone.

* * *

Abby was with her grandmother, which was just a godsend. Ginny and Darby were home alone for the first time in many months, and both of them knew exactly what was going to happen… It was no surprise that within seconds of the two of them entering their house, Ginny's shirt was over her head, and his pants were across the hall.

"Oh Darby…" came the familiar whimper that made him go crazy.

"Damn I've missed you…"

Darby slammed Ginny against the wall and slipped her skirt up.

"How much did you miss me Ginny? Tell me…"

Ginny brushed her lips against his ear, grinding her hips into his. She thrust her hands into his blon- uh.. Brown hair. She kissed her way down his neck until she reached the base of his throat until she could feel the growl emitting from him.

"How much…"

"Darby…Please…"

He obeyed, hiking her skirt up and caressing the soft skin he found underneath. "Tell me what you want Nevra."

* * *

_"Tell me what you want Sugar. Tell me."_

_Ginny whimpered into Draco's ear, unable to keep her thoughts together. "I-I... I don-"_

_He caught her lips with his, sliding her hands over her head. "You know what you want. Just tell me. I'll do anything for you."_

_His lips trailed between her breasts, continuing their downward path. When he reached her belly button, he slid his tongue inside, reveling in her soft giggle. He licked his lips and looked up at her. "Come on Sugar, talk to me." He slid his hands under her bum, tugging at her panties._

_She lifted herself up to allow his hands access. She was very glad it was dark, otherwise her bright red cheeks would have been visible. In fact, she was pretty sure her cheeks were fluorescent enough to be visible even in the dark._

_"Not going to answer me, eh?"_

_He trailed his tongue up one thigh, then down the other. His purpose was to tease, and he was very successful. He ran his hands up the sides of her legs, enjoying the feeling of her goosebumps. He slid his body on top of hers, pressing a kiss to the corner of her lips._

_"Tell me..."  
_

_

* * *

_

"Tell me what you want Nevra."

Ginny was brought out of her reverie. She hadn't thought about him in the longest time. What had brought him to her mind? After all of those years...

She looked up at her husband, his face severe. The mood was gone for her, but she was positive that he was still enjoying himself so she did nothing to ruin his good time. She did her best to pretend that she was into it, when in all actuality all she really wanted was for it to be over. She brought her arms around his neck and pulled herself up in a way that she knew thrilled him. She bit into his neck and felt him shudder.

"Oh Ginevra..."

She suddenly hated the way he said her name. It sounded wrong, hoarse, unnatural coming from him. She pulled herself back and lay across the bed, looking up at him with curiosity apparent in her face. Why was she so upset with him, completely out of the blue. She reached up and slid a hand down his cheek.

"Nevra, did you...?"

She shook her head. "No, but that's okay." She leaned up and kissed him. Although she did her best to give him a satisfied smile, she knew that she must have worn a face of unhappiness.

Darby tilted his head to the side and looked down at her. _What's wrong with us?_

* * *

**A/N** Well, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. This one has been really changed up so if you read chapter two of the first version and then this one, the plot is incredibly different in this edition. I like this one so much better. No real sex written here but eventually there will be so if you don't like sex or if you found this chapter offensive, please be aware that it will be getting much more heated, both in memory and in plot.

Also, for those of you with questions, or suggestions, or just plain lovely comments, please review and that will make me so happy! I love reading reviews so the more I get, the happier I will be (= Also, keep in mind that I have zero reviews right now and if I don't get a decent amount of reviews now, I will discontinue this story.


	3. Chapter 3

**I Still..**

**A/N **Hey everybody. Here's chapter three! I'm pretty excited to have it out as quickly as I have. I'm slowly but surely working on all of the old chapters first which may take me a little longer to do than actually writing the chapters anew. Anyway, I really appreciated the reviews I got from chapter two. Keep them coming!

Oh and goodness before I forget, I have a tiny little favor to ask of you guys. I was thinking about changing the title of this story and I want to know what you guys think, but it would involve a little bit of homework on you guys. Go on over to youtube and listen to I Still by the backstreet boys, and then Siberia, also by the Backstreet Boys. Once you're completely done with that, come back and leave a review about which title you like better. The options are I Still, or My Heart Did Time In Siberia. Keep in mind that I Still has the story's general theme in mind, and Siberia is kind of her opinion on the situation, and how she feels about it. Thanks a ton, it means a lot!

Well, read and enjoy! (And a review or two wouldn't hurt anybody hehehe)

* * *

_The lightest fluttering of eyelashes against his neck made him open both eyes wide as he could. He wasn't at all used to sleeping next to anyone, so the feeling of this soft body laying next to him left him more than startled. Usually as soon as the fucking was over with he would kick the girl out of his bed, but this was very different…_

_He turned to his right and realized with a smile that it was the littlest Weasley girl who had her whole body wrapped around his. Before he could stop himself, he leaned in and gave her forehead a gentle kiss._

"_How are you feeling Sugar? Are you still sore? Is there anything I can do for you?" He rubbed a coarse thumb across her cheek, tilting her head up so she was looking at him._

_She, instead of looking at him, rubbed her face against his chest and shook her head, quite obviously nervous._

_"I'm fine," Ginny said, in barely a whisper. She was too nervous to even look up, but she was sure that she could feel his eyes against the back of her head._

_He realized with a sly grin that she was blushing, and took this opportunity to pull her whole body on top of his. They were both still bare underneath the blankets, and as their skin touched, Draco realized that he had no desire to be as rough with her as he generally enjoyed being with other women…_

_But she wasn't just any other woman…_

"_Come on sugar…You're better than fine, right? I heard all those little squeaks and squeals coming from you." He leaned in to tickle her and gave her neck a few gentle kisses. Gentle hadn't quite been in his vocabulary before her…_

_Ginny bit her lip and leaned her forehead against him. "Come on Draco…"_

"_Well doesn't that phrase sound familiar?" He took her cheeks in his hands and looked deep into her face. "You know Sugar, I really do lo-"_

"Auntie! Where are my socks? Have you seen them? Mum will be here any minute and if I'm not ready she'll take Abbers to go and get ice cream without me! She told me so last time!"

* * *

And when I'm looking back  
How we were young and stupid  
Do you remember that?

-I Still, BSB

* * *

"Thank you so much for taking care of the two of them, Ginny dear! This means more to us than you could ever really know. I know you don't have very much time these days, what with all of your training, and hardly seeing your husband as much as you should and all but Ron and I are trying to manage getting the book store all set up and started you see… It's not easy running your own business you know!"

Ginny smiled and strapped the tiny, struggling Abigail into her light pink stroller. She leaned in and gave the little girl a very unwanted kiss.

"It's perfectly fine Hermione. I absolutely adore them as though they were my own children and you know that. Really, it's absolutely no trouble."

Hermione took a deep breath, and instantly Ginny knew that her choice of wording had been a mistake. Hermione reached out to cup her face in her hand, exploring the younger woman's eyes.

"You're twenty-five Ginny. If you plan on having children, now would definitely be the time. You know, the older you get, the harder it is for your body to handle the stress."

"Hermione… He doesn't want children. I've told you that a million times at least…"

"And you've also told me how much you want to have seven children of your own! If you want children this badly…" She took a deep breath. "There's something about Darby that has me on edge. I'm not sure what it is but I feel like there's somebody better out there for-"

Ginny swatted her nephew Alex on the rump as he slid beside his mother.

"Good luck at Hogwarts my favorite lad. And remember, if all else fails-"

"Remind the hat of the fact that I am a Weasley. I know Aunt Ginny. I know. You've told me a million times before."

"Ginevra Molly Weasley! Let the hat pick which house he's to be in! He shouldn't be a Gryffindor just because of the fact that he's a Weasley!"

"Would you rather he be in Slytherin?"

* * *

"Ginny, Ginny, Ginny!" came the screams of the thousands of fans in the bleachers.

"Come on Smucker! You can do it beautiful!"

Draco slid past nearly everyone so he could be in a seat that was right at level with the game. He was searching for Ginny and grinned when he caught sight of red hair as it flew past him before he could pay much more attention. He clapped and gave a noncommittal shout with no real words, just a sound.

"Get the Snitch Ginny! You can do it!"

"Marry me Ginny Smucker!"

That one made Draco roll his eyes. She was good, that was for sure, but a marriage proposal based on her Quidditch skills? He was pretty sure that the attraction of said males had nothing to do with her sportsmanship. He shrugged and watched her go.

When he realized that the individual had called her Ginny Smucker, he winced. '_Smucker… Ugly as hell name…'_

It was only then that he realized that there were hundreds, beyond _hundreds _of people wearing the same red and gold tee-shirts with Ginny's face on them. Some were wearing wigs. Others were holding flags. Either way, Draco was now quite certain that they were not here to see the Chudly Cannons. They were there to see Ginny. Tall, beautiful, brilliant Ginny.

Ginny did a back flip off of her broom that made Draco's breath catch in his throat. Just a split second later, he saw a bludger zip past the place where her head had just barely been. Within seconds, Ginny was back on her broom.

'_Wow…That was impressive… Was she always this good?'_

Ginny's eyes suddenly locked on something not too far from the other team's seeker. She leaned in close to her broom and zoomed forward, smashing into the other seeker and knocking him off of his broom. She reached out and caught the Golden Snitch between her tiny fingers. She held it up and thrust her head back.

"**And the Chudly Cannons win yet again!"**

Ginny flew in a wide circle, eating up the applause. She put the snitch in her mouth and clapped her hands hard. She pulled her dark red scarf off of her neck and tossed it into the audience, just two people to the right of where Draco was sitting.

She flew to the ground and wiped the sweat off of her forehead before disappearing.

* * *

"Gin, don't you think you're getting a little cocky?" asked Ron as Ginny walked less than gracefully into her childhood house.

"What do you mean?" she asked, picking up a green apple all the while taking a deep sip of her mother's famous pumpkin cider.

"All those back flips and turns…One of these days you're going to snap your neck you know!"

"You're starting to sound just like Hermione," she said with a chuckle, lifting Abigail from her stroller. "Is she staying here? I won't be home to take care of her tonight so she can't come with me, as much as I would love to have her. It's probably a good idea to keep her with mum rather than the twins after what they did the last time they had her…"

"Nope, we're actually going to take her home tonight. I feel so guilty… I haven't gotten to see her much since Hermione opened the book store… It's a load of hard work but Hermione is so happy with it that it breaks my heart to tell her it's too much. I just wish we could bond with her better..."

Ginny nodded and kissed the little girl on the forehead before placing her down on her feet so she could run around and play.

"Don't feel bad Ron. She still knows who mummy and daddy are. She loves you guys and she gets to know her Auntie Ginny so there's no harm. All this is, is one more person to love her."

Ron nodded and shrugged. "I know she loves us but… I feel like we got to know Alex so much more and now Abby is sort of losing out."

Ginny kissed her brother on the top of his head. "Things will all work out for the best. Just let her know how much you love her. Everything that you do is for her, and Alex."

* * *

"Merlin... Is that really you? Draco? It's been way too long!" The look on his face was mixture of shock, disbelief, and childlike excitement. His eyes were wide, his jaw had fallen, with a huge and wide smile.

Draco gave Blaise the most masculine hug he could manage given the heartache he had felt while he was alone for all those years. He wanted to hug his childhood best friend as tightly as he could, but he knew it would have been considered slightly inappropriate.

They spent hours upon hours in the Zabini drawing room on the huge black couch they had spent many a summer day on during their youth. They talked about everything they had missed from one another throughout the years Draco had been gone. It had been a rough nine years, but he knew that now that he was back home, he had his best friend by his side to keep him sane. They talked about school, career goals and successions, everything except for where Draco had been.

"I heard through the grapevine that you got married Zabini. You dog you. I'd love to meet the woman who was finally able to tie Blaize Zabini to his bedpost in a non-sexual manner. Do I know the lucky lady?" he asked with a chuckle.

Blaise grinned and nodded. "I think you do. Actually, I'm fairly certain that she had quite an impact on your Hogwarts experience."

Draco raised an eyebrow as Blaise pulled out his wallet. He opened it and inside was a wedding photo of Blaise Zabini and…Pansy Zabini?

"You absolutely detested Pansy back in school! Remember? Pug Faced Parkinson? What would posses you?"

Blaise chuckled and then spoke a sentence that summed up every feeling going through Draco's body for the past ten years.

"Sometimes your heart just doesn't listen to your mind. You tell it which direction to go in but it just can't keep away from the one place it wants to be the most."

* * *

"So Ginny, my sweetest child and only daughter…No news on the baby front?"

Ginny sighed and after taking a sip of her tea, she slammed the cup down harder than she had meant to. "Mother…I have already told you time and time again that Darby doesn't want any children." She knew she sounded pitiful. She knew it was obvious that she wanted children and that she was unhappy about the fact that she wouldn't be able to have any with him but…

"Ginny, you've wanted children since you _were _a child! Why should you have to give up on something like this for a man who has given up nothing for you? This is ridiculous and I beg you to reconsider before it's too late for you to change your mind on the subject."

Ginny shook her head. "Why have you never even tried to look at it from the other angle too mum? Why should he have to have children when he so obviously does not want to? That would be unfair to him and he would resent me for the rest of our lives. I would rather have no children than a huge, preventable rift in my perfectly healthy marriage."

Molly reached out and brushed a strand of long red hair from her only daughter's face. "As much as I hate to admit it, that makes sense. You're right but… I still don't understand why you're so willing to let go of everything for one silly little boy. And how is it a perfectly healthy marriage when the one thing you've always wanted is being taken away from you?"

"Mother, I'm not a child anymore! I'm 25. And he's not a boy, he's my husband. It's not as though I'm a little 16-year-old girl again and I'm losing my heart for the first tim-" She stopped right in her tracks, realizing she was treading in her own dangerous territory.

Molly could almost read her thoughts.

"Ginny, that was a very long time ago. Your first love always leaves a lasting impression…"

Ginny felt her face go completely white. She hadn't thought about him and years, and now, all of the sudden he kept running through her mind, over and over. "Mum... I really don't want to talk about him."

"Well why the hell not? He was the only man to ever treat you the way you deserve to be treated! I know you were children, and I know he was a Malfoy, but I've never seen you nearly so happy before or since! It's not healthy to repress memories, and why bother when those memories were full of happiness."

Ginny stood up and shook her head. "Mum, first of all it was a two month relationship that was never meant to be much more than a fling. Second of all, he's gone. After nine years, I think it's time to finally let him go. It is time to accept the fact that he either has been alive all of this time and just never bothered to contact me, or he died in the war. What is the point on dwelling over a silly childhood romance that meant nothing?"

Okay sure, she knew that it was hypocritical to tell her mother to let go of the only boy that she herself had never found the ability to allow her heart to release.

_"What is the point on dwelling over a silly childhood romance that meant nothing?"_

She sighed, knowing that that was a complete lie. He was not a silly childhood romance that meant nothing. Perhaps he should have been... He was her first real love, and in her heart of hearts she knew that he would always have a place within her, much as she would deny it if asked.

* * *

Draco paced back and forth in front of the jewelry store. He was waiting ever so _patiently _for the doors to open, and yet for some reason he felt like ripping his hair out.

Suddenly, the door creaked open and a hand reached out, grabbing Draco by the arm and pulling him inside so roughly that he hit his head on the wall.

"I know why you're here young Malfoy, but it's been far too many years for me to be able to give you the answers that you seek. You may ask me anyway."

Draco raised an eyebrow in confusion, but he decided to ask anyway. "I'd like to know about a ring that I bought from here a few years ago. I'd like to know its location."

The little man put a hand out against Draco's forehead. "Silver…Emeralds… Engraved? It was for a lady you loved for a very short period of time...One that you never intended to love..."

Draco nodded, a bit of lush in his cheeks. "Yes. That's the one. I bought it nine years ago."

The man nodded. "You gave it to a woman…"

Draco raised an eyebrow. "No. I gave it to a llama I met before the war. I wanted to make sure he would still be here waiting for me when I came back. Of _course _I gave it to a woman!"

The little man chuckled. "Well you never know in this day and age. Some of the most attractive men are with each other you know."

"Can we please focus? Is the ring still with her? Where is it? Does she wear it?" He began to wring his hands nervously.

The man shook his head with a hand on one hip. "I can not give you all of this information as I have already told you. I _can _however let you know that she hasn't sold it to anyone else, and she has not lost it or given it away. It is in her possession although if she wears it or not I can not say."

* * *

**A/N **This is one of my favorite chapters. It gives all sorts of answers that you won't really understand until you finish reading the whole story, but this is a really important one.

On a more personal note, I have been feeling pretty stressed lately. Someone who means a lot to me was murdered pretty recently so I have been focusing a lot of my energy on that. This chapter may not be as well edited as some of my others because of that but if you catch anything negative in here PLEASE let me know in a review so I can fix it. I want this story to be great and it can't be if it's really messed up, so let me know!


	4. Chapter 4

**I Still..**

**A/N** Hey there everybody! Chapter four is here and it is completely edited and fantastical lol. I worked so hard on this one, it's not even funny. Seriously. Just so you all know, the before chapter was 1,078 words, and once it was edited and beefed up, it became 3,105. Much better huh? Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. Things are starting to get interesting if you ask me. If you have any ideas or if there's something you want changed, feel free to let me know via review!

* * *

_Somehow, Ginny had allowed Draco to talk her into going into a silly muggle fortune tellers shack, for what had translated into about fourteen galleons. What a ridiculous waste of money this was! She had always thought things like this were stupid, but for some weird reason, he thought this was a good idea. After having talked him into going to the carnival in London for the rides and cotton candy, he had decided that he got to pick the very last amusement. For whatever reason, he had chosen this.  
_

"_-and this line means that there will be lots and lots of children in your life."_

_Ginny raised a skeptical eyebrow and turned to look at Draco. "I already knew that. Look at my family! Even if I didn't have a single child and each of them had one, that would be six kids in my life. Come on, this is stupid. Do you know what else you could have bought for fourteen galleons? My house, that's what."_

_Draco took her by the hand that wasn't being held by the __fortune teller__ and kissed the palm. "We'll have tons Sugar. We'll have so many we'll have to rent out Hogwarts just to have enough beds for them." He purposely, and quite obviously, ignored her complaints and her mockery of her own family.  
_

_She rolled her eyes and shook her head, her long red hair drifting from side to side. "You said you didn't want to have any children at all. Don't you remember?"_

_He shrugged. "That was before. Anything I could do to have just one more piece of you is worth it. I'm sure our kids are going to have that crazy-red hair. Merlin, how my family is going to hate the prospect of it!" He reached out to touch her hair, and before he had the chance to realize what he was doing, he had pulled her in for a sweet, innocent little kiss._

* * *

Now look at me  
Instead of moving on, I refuse to see  
That I Keep Coming Back

-I Still, BSB

* * *

Draco sighed a tad louder than he had previously intended. He was daydreaming about her as he had been for the last nine years…What was his problem? Why couldn't he shake her?

Not that he wanted to at this point...

He was wandering around Diagon Alley once again. He never had a shopping habit, but nobody would ever guess that, had they been following him around. He was in town for the third time in less than a week. He rolled his eyes and looked around. As teenagers, during the one summer they had spent together, he took her here quite often. It was a place that none of his friends and family frequented since Knockturn Alley was so nearby, and a place where her friends and family couldn't frequent due to a lack of funding. Oh how he loved shopping for her...

Whilst wandering aimlessly, out of the corner of his eye, Draco caught sight of a flashing sign. It took his eyes a few moments to adjust, but as soon as they did, he was more than thrilled by what he read.

**GET YOUR BROOM SIGNED BY THE BEST QUIDDITCH TEAM WIZARDRY HAS EVER SEEN: THE CHUDLEY CANNONS!**

_The Chudley Cannons? _he thought to himself with excitement that he could hardly contain. Would she be there? She would have to be... After having seen that Quidditch match, he was sure that if Ginny wasn't there, the fans wouldn't be either.

He looked from his left to his right. He hadn't had a broom in almost seven years so perhaps now was the time for him to get one. Quality Quidditch Supplies was two doors down, so before he knew what he was doing, he ran in that direction. He opened the door and was for some reason or another startled by the loud jingling the door made as though he hadn't been in there a million times before.

"May I help you sir?"

The attendant was no older than sixteen with huge purple glasses. Draco raised an eyebrow and looked him up and down. Shaking the confusion from his mind, he placed a small pouch of coins on the counter. "I need you to give me the best broom you have in the store."

"Oh, well we have all varieties based on your preferences! We have long ones, skinny ones, fast ones, comfortable ones, dark o-"

Draco placed a hand over his mouth and raised both eyebrows. "Okay, I didn't ask for your inventory. I want the single best broomstick you have here and if you give it to me right now, I will let you keep your tongue.

The teen brushed the front of his vest of and glared as best he could manage. "Well isn't someone a little testy today? Perhaps I can suggest a pint at the Leaky Cauldron!"

He led Draco over to a display of deep mahogany brooms with a gold plated engraving on the side. _Velox 450_.

_"_This one is perfect. I'll take it." He picked the broom up and was startled to feel how light it was. _Wow, nine years go by and all of the sudden they have vast enhancements over broomsticks! Go figure. Hey, I won't argue with progress..._

Draco jogged back to his original destination, a huge grin of excitement plastered over his face. When he reached the front door, he brushed it off, running a hand through his pale hair. He took a deep breath and opened the door. With a smirk he walked into the bar and was more than surprised to see half of the team completely abandoned. Ginny, the only woman on the team, was surrounded by near fifty fans. Her line was out the door… Luckily for him, she rather quickly noticed he was standing there and rewarded him with an excited pair of eyes.

"Oh hey! You over there, come on over to my table!" She gave him a sweet smile that brought him right back to Hogwarts and waved her hand forward as though they had been friends their whole lives.

_If only she knew._

His heart was pounding harder than it ever had in his recent memory. He tentatively took a few steps in her direction, looking around carefully to be sure nobody he recognized was around. He placed his broom on her table, licking his lips gently. His hair was in his face, but he didn't dare move for fear she would disappear as the mirage he was so convinced she'd truly been all this time.

"I'm almost shocked to see you without Abigail today. Do you have her hidden somewhere?"

She smirked, reaching to dip her quill in the pot of bright orange ink she had been given. "No. She's with her daddy today. I got the whole day off from her to be here doing this instead today. Unfair trade it seems." She brushed her hair away from her face and looked him up and down. _Wow, _she thought to herself. _What a handsome man he is... __  
_

"What's the name?" she asked, doing her best not to look as distracted as she felt. Her nails tapped against the table in a nervous series of clicks.

He shook his head. "Just sign it Ginevra Weasley… And if you could put the hearts over your I like you always used to... Please."

She signed it, but never took her eyes away from his. "You look strikingly familiar… Do I know you from somewhere else? I must know you from somewhere else... Did you go to Hogwarts?"

He shrugged, inwardly thrilled by the way her eyes were tracing her over and over.

He smiled and lifted his broom, but as he turned to walk away he felt a small hand touch his arm. He looked at her and saw that she was now standing, her head tilted to the side. "You...You look like someone I knew once... Ho- How did you know about the hearts over my I's?"

"I'll see you again Gin."

Her eyes widened. Very few people were allowed to call her that… And yet for some reason, although she just couldn't put her finger on the stranger, she didn't mind him calling her that. In fact, she _liked _it. She desperately wanted, neigh, **needed** to see him again.

* * *

"-and then he just said, 'I'll see you again Gin.' It was so weird…He looks so familiar…"

Hermione shrugged and took a sip of butter beer. "Wish I could tell you Ginny. It just sounds like a little boy with a crush if you ask me. Sounds like he went on the Witch Wide Web and found out all about you, just like any other fan would do. He wanted to impress you, I'm sure of it."

Ginny shrugged. "Maybe. All I know is that something about him seems so familiar, as though I've known him all my life…"

Hermione sighed. "Could it be that you've already seen him twice? Maybe he's been stalking you, and your subconscious is finally starting to put the pieces together?"

Ginny shook her head. "No Hermione. Something about him just seems so...Comfortable. When I see him it almost feels like it would be completely appropriate to run up to him and give him a great big hug. I don't know what this is, but every time I think about it, I get even more confused. I have no idea what's going on, and I hate this feeling."

Chuckling, Hermione crossed one leg over the other. "Is it possible that our lovely, devoted wife Mrs. Smucker fancies a stranger? It's like one of those movies. Boy meets girl, girl meets boy, boy and girl meet a third time, and _**bam, **_they're shagging in shop dressing room."

Ginny raised an eyebrow in disgust. "First of all, I'm not a muggle so I've never seen a movie. Second of all, when did you become inappropriate and sexual? Must be your hormones getting back to normal after Abigail..."

Hermione choked over her drink. "Ginevra, Abigail is almost three! I am in no way still off my rocker over pregnancy hormones."

Ginny shrugged. "Hey I was trying to be nice. You've always been nutters."

"Look Ginny, maybe you're just itching for something new. Why don't you just try him on for size? See how things go from there."

Ginny gave her a look that spoke volumes. "Hermione," she said, as though she were talking to a toddler, "I'm married. I can't just '_try'_ strange man '_out for size'_, you utter pervert, and besides, who's to say I'm ever going to see him again?"

She waved a dismissive hand at the younger woman. "Dinner never hurt anybody and besides, if you've seen him this many times already, I'm sure it's for a reason. Either he really wants to see you, or fate is pressing you together."

"You don't believe in fate Mrs. Weasley, and speaking of which, does your husband know that you think it's perfectly fine for happily married women to date?"

Hermione chuckled and shook her head. "Of course not! I wasn't talking about happily married women. I was _talking _about you."

* * *

"Darby dear! Oh love of my life! I'm home!" Ginny shouted, putting the mail onto the coffee table.

"Baby?" She walked up the stairs to the bedroom, but instead of finding her loving husband, she found a note and a rose on her freshly made bed.

'_The boys took me out. Be back tomorrow.'_

Ginny shook her head and plopped herself down onto her comforter. She looked to her right and smiled at the startling sight of a gorgeous black owl that didn't belong to anybody she could readily identify.

"What have you got there sweetness?" She pulled the note off of his leg and read it to herself.

'_If I could have one lifetime wish, one wish that would come true, I'd wish in love with all my heart, for yesterday...and you!'_

Ginny smiled. Fan letters didn't usually make it through to her home, so someone must have either actually known where she lived, or they were incredibly determined…

She shrugged. It was sweet and it made her happy for now, so she wasn't going to argue.

With one smile, she pulled the covers over her body, and allowed herself to fall into a dream.

* * *

"Good job Marlow. Good job." Draco fed the sweet black owl a treat and placed him onto a branch inside his cage, leaving the door open for him.

He shook his head, turning toward the couch in the corner of the dark room. He sat, putting his head in his hands. His body ached, his head hurt, his stomach grumbled and had he been a woman, he surely would have been on his cycle as well.

He had abandoned her all those years ago... Whether it had been intentional or not, he had disappeared...

* * *

_"No. He's not as loyal as we thought he would be. I've been saying it from day one, this kid is nothing but trouble. I don't understand why he was even accepted to begin with. He still hasn't even accepted the mark yet!"_

_"Should we rid ourselves of him? He's 18. I mean, he could still be trained if we start now. Why not pump up the pressure?"_

_"His father claimed he's been training him since he was in diapers. If he's not loyal to the Dark Lord yet, I don't think he ever will be, case closed."_

_"Well, this isn't really our decision. Let's bring it up. You know if we kill him it'll be our hides that get laid out to dry. Who knows, maybe there are some big plans set out for him. Maybe this is his destiny. Maybe he's just a scared kid who doesn't know what it means to be a Death Eater yet. I'm sure his first kill will go splendidly."_

_Draco had his back pressed to the wall, his ear up against it as he eavesdropped to the best of his abilities. It had never been one of his better finely tuned talents, but it was worth a shot and he had heard this much so far!_

_He hadn't realized his disloyalty had been as blatant as it had apparently been...  
_

_When he was sent off to fight this damned war, he had no idea who he'd be fighting for, but his mind was made up for him by his father. As soon as he showed up he had been beaten, humiliated and tortured for the better part of three months. He was repeatedly built up and shot down to prove he was willing to whatever it took to serve his master...Except he wasn't. He was willing to do whatever it took to keep himself alive, so he could go home to-_

_The last time they spoke, she made it perfectly clear she never wanted to hear from him again. She had cried... He never wanted to make her cry... __What if they killed him? Who would tell Ginny they loved her every day? Who would let her know that as soon as the war was over everything would go back to normal again. Who...Who would even inform her if something **did **happen to him? She would never know, unless it made headlines._

_A shot to the back of the head made him realize just how close to the wall he had truly been. He scrambled to stand before the group barged into the room, but he quickly realized that he was too late._

_"Just the Malfoy I was looking for. Gentlemen, leave us alone for a moment."_

_

* * *

_A/N Well everybody, this chapter was HARD! I don't know what I was doing all those years ago, but this chapter in particular just did not want to be written. Not even a little bit. I added, deleted, extended and all sorts of other things to make this chapter the fine piece of perfection you see before you today.

That being said, I would HUGELY appreciate it if you guys could shoot some reviews my way. I actually have four reviews now which is so great considering the fact that chapter 1 had zero reviews. I really love the feedback, negative or positive so PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review my story! I read each and every one and I love responding to them so please review!


	5. Chapter 5

**I Still…**

**

* * *

**

A/N So this is one of those chapters that I read, and it was so rich with plot that I had absolutely no use for lol. I was like "Yes! Nice long chapter to work with!" and then it was crap lol. Oh well, I hope you enjoy it and if so, please review for me! Reviews make writing so much more worth it for me! (=

* * *

_"This doesn't have to be a goodbye does it__ Draco? I mean... You know... Just because you've graduated... We can still see one another, can't we?" she asked him, tears streaming down her little pink cheeks. It was moments like these where she hated her feminine emotions. Having as many brothers as she did should have taught her how to keep her emotions in check, but unfortunately, she never learned.  
_

_And that was when it struck him like crucio to the heart. At that moment, Draco Malfoy realized he was truly in love with the littlest Weasley. This was not just a fling. No. It was so much more than that to him, and he had no idea when it had become this way.  
_

_His heart panged for a moment, and he looked down at his feet to avoid his own tears from spilling over. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the small velvet box that had been sitting there for weeks._

"_This is for you. I was hoping that the mood would be a little brighter when I got the chance to give this to you, but I think this is as good a time as any, don't you?"_

_Ginny took a deep breath, and with curiosity in her eyes, she tilted her head, leaning forward. "What is this?"_

_He opened the box and pulled out a gorgeous ring that he had noticed her spend many an afternoon gazing at. He knew he wanted her to have it, but he wasn't sure as to whether or not she would accept it. He... He wasn't really sure what it symbolized anymore, although at one time he had it all worked out in his head._

_"This is yours and as long as you have it on, I'll know you're still-" He didn't really know how to end that sentence, s__o he didn't. Waiting for me? In love with me? Neither of those really fit here, although both of them were wishes he'd had deep in his heart.  
_

_Ginny slipped it onto her finger with a smile. "It's beautiful…" She looked deep into the emerald and ruby center where an inscription had been placed. _"_I Still… I still what Draco?"_

_He smirked that smirk he was so good at. "You'll find out when we're back together again. I promise."_

* * *

I still feel you  
Like I'm right beside you  
But still no word from you

-I Still, BSB

* * *

Ginny fiddled absently with the ring that was dangling from a chain on her neck. It had always been a comfort to her. She had never dated to take it off, from the day Draco left her side. In the shower…During sex... At the beach... On her wedding night… It never left her side. It had gone from her finger long ago, but it had never, even once been away from her body.

She'd been asked time and time again by many people what significance that ring had to her, but every time her answer was the same. _"It was a gift, and I don't want to talk about it any more."_

Ginny read the inscription to herself for quite possibly the billionth time, and couldn't help the sad smile that spread across her lips. She would never know what the I Still inscription meant… She shrugged her shoulders and looked out the window, watching the rain fall. Fleur and Bill were coming up the stairs, each holding a sixteen month old twin girl. She smiled. Her family had become her whole world when she was home from work, and she was perfectly fine being surrounded by the tiny red-headed demons she would never be blessed with.

* * *

"Well now that the girls are fast asleep and the boys are out, we have ample time for some girl talk! Oh how I miss girl talk... Living with a man and two infants makes it pretty hard to gossip!" Fleur's English had greatly improved in the years that she had been in the family, which everyone was very relieved about.

"Girl talk? What did you have in mind?" Ginny asked, taking a small sip of rose tea. The very smell eased the tension in her whole body, and boy was she tense these days. For reasons she had yet to put her finger on, her first love kept running through her mind. After all those years she had done her best to block him out, but for some reason he was ever present these days.

"That husband of yours Ginevra! I love my Billy; don't get me wrong, but your Darby… Oh the things I would love to do if I could get my hands on him for just one day! He is quite a catch if I may say so. But of course, you know that better than anyone else!"

Ginny giggled and shook her head. "Oh Fleur you're just too much! Really, he's a marvelous man, but looks have very little to do with what I appreciate about him. It's really not all it's made out to be. You know, being married to a man as famous as him..."

Fleur raised an eyebrow. "I have read all of the articles cher. I know you've seen them! They tell of his past exploits, and none of those women have ever had any complaints before, now have they?"

A few days before their wedding, Rita Skeeter hit the jackpot. Fifty three women all went to her with the news that they had gone to bed with Darby Smucker. None during the time of their courtship of course, but it was very close to the time that they had begun their relationship. They had all boasted how wonderful he was, how attentive he was, how big he was…

Everything that Ginny had made the mistake of looking forward to on her wedding night. She sighed deeply at the memory.

"Well?"

Ginny shrugged, well aware that her cheeks were turning pink. "Well, some of those things were incredibly true, others… Well, not so much."

Fleur tilted her head to the side as she took a sip of tea. "What do you mean by that my dear? Is he…Well, you know… peu?"

Ginny let out a very unladylike snort and shook her head viciously. "Far from it actually! But that's partly the problem you see…"

Fleur looked aghast. "How is a huge male a problem my petite cher? I think you're confused. Perhaps you should study your English."

Ginny shrugged. "Well…It just seems kind of like...Sex. He's not particularly attentive with me, not even on our wedding night… He's not very caring either. He basically shags me until he's through… And then he gets off and immediately takes a bath. Yes, I said bath. There's a huge difference between having sex, and being with your husband, or at least I thought there should be."

Fleur winced. "Well that sounds just awful ma cherie… You didn't lose your virginity to him did you? That would be quite a shame..."

Ginny sighed and looked down. "No. I was with one other person before him." A sweet smile swept across her face before she could stop it. She bit her lower lip, brushing her bangs from her eyes. Memories of the two of them together like this particular one always raised her spirits. So much so, in fact, that her cheeks burned even redder.

Fleur grinned. "Ooh. Gush my dear, gush!"

Ginny hung her head and held her ring in her tiny palm. "I lost my virginity to the first person I was ever really in a relationship with… Well, I dated many boys in school, but I was really in love with him." Upon seeing curiosity in Fleur's eyes she sighed sadly. "His name was Draco Malfoy." She winced in sadness, realizing that she had said _was_, instead of _is._

Fleur looked a tad more startled than Ginny was expecting. "That little prat that kept pulling my robes up when I came to Hogwarts? I kept catching him in the female locker rooms. I thought I was going to strangle him before the year was through!"

Ginny smirked. "Sounds like my Draco."

_My Draco…_

She hadn't so much as _thought_ that phrase in forever…

"Well tell me about it! Was it lovely? What was it like?"

Ginny smiled and floated away to all those years ago and all the sudden, she was laying in Draco's bed once again.

"Well," Fleur interrupted her thought process, "my first time was dreadful… It was in my third year, in our potions classroom. It was dreadfully painful, and awfully messy. And we got caught! Six months of detention we got. Never made _that _mistake again. And yourself?"

Ginny shivered at the memories that she was far too selfish at that very moment to share with anyone else. "It was a beautiful night, that's all I can say."

Fleur chuckled and shook her head. "Prat as he was, I did hear my fair share of rumors of his prowess. Heard he was quite experienced."

Ginny shrugged. "I don't really know much about the girls he was with before me. I heard plenty of rumors myself, but we never discussed it."

"Why not?"

"Well we weren't really-" She stopped. This one simple fact had never been spoken aloud in the past, and saying it now would make it true... She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. _Nine years Ginny. Nine years._

"We were never really in a relationship. We never put a title on what we had."

Fleur nodded. "But you did love him." It wasn't a question.

"Yes Fleur. More than anyone I've ever loved in my entire life."

* * *

"Mister Malfoy? Is that really you?" The small, old tailor came from behind the counter and gave Draco a sweet little hug.

Draco couldn't help but chuckle to himself and pat the man on the top of his irregularly shaped head. "It's been ages hasn't it. I know this is going to sound positively ridiculous, but I placed an order the last time I was here. Do you still have it?"

The man's eyes grew. "Do you realize how many years it's been? Why on earth would I have kept an order so many years old when I could just as easily take it apart and reuse the fabric!"

Draco raised an eyebrow in disbelief. If this man was anything, it was loyal. Also, it didn't hurt that he was the worst hoarder Draco had ever known.

"Of course I still have it. I couldn't put anything past you could I Mister Malfoy?" He giggled and hobbled himself over to the long tapestry that was pinned to the wall. Pulling it back, he revealed a safe.

"I've been taking care of it ever since you disappeared sir. I was quite positive that when you came back you would want it, so I made sure it was in pristine condition! I even steamed it monthly, you know, just to make sure it stayed as lovely as the day I finished making it."

Draco grinned when he pulled the suit out and handed it to him. He put it up against himself, excited to see that it would still be a perfect fit, even after all those years.

"How much do I owe you?"

The tiny man waved both hands violently in front of his face. "Nonsense! Consider it my gift to you! How you have been missed! Say, whatever happened to that little red haired girl you used to bring in here all the time? I still have one of the dresses you ordered for her back there as well. I've been taking care of _it _as well. And look, it matches your suit perfectly..."

* * *

Ginny sat on her bed, reading the letter to herself over and over again. She shook her head, laying back and clutching it close to her chest. It was just a fan of course… A silly little love struck fan, but this one little fan had put more confidence into her that her husband could with a hundred gifts and kisses.

She shook her head, reading it one more time. "Gosh…"

"Auntie!"

Ginny winced and looked over to her right. Tiny little Abigail Weasley was standing before her, holding a book with a big grin on her face.

"Hold book and go poof!"

Ginny chuckled. Not too long ago there had been a brief scare, strange sightings of the dark lord though he had been dead for six years now. Her brother and sister-by-law had put a few port-keys around the house. Abigail had apparently just found one.

"Silly girl." Ginny stood up and pulled the girl into her arms. "Your mummy is probably going to flip as soon as she notices your missing you know."

Abigail suddenly gave Ginny a very serious look. "Mommy go poof?"

Ginny smirked. "More like Mommy go KABOOM!"

Abigail reached up and touched Ginny's nose. "Kaboom?"

Ginny nodded with a smile. "Yup. Kaboom. Why don't I go make you some waffles, and then we can owl your mummy and let her know your nice and alive?"

Abigail squeaked and flailed her arms. "Chocky chip waffle?"

Ginny sighed. "Just like your daddy already I see. Of course auntie will make you chocolate chip waffles. Whatever my little Abby wants, my Abby gets!"

* * *

Draco sighed as he walked into the old Malfoy Manor. Of course nobody was home. Nobody had lived there in years. Both of his parents were dead, and he had no siblings to speak of. His father was rather promiscuous so for all he knew there could be a sibling or two, but none that he had met, and therefore none had been in his will.

He looked around. Everything was still as he had remembered it. There were tapestries hanging on the walls, paintings of him and his parents… The velvet chair was still sitting in the hallway, as it had been the day he left.

He didn't know what side he wanted to be on when he disappeared, but he soon enough realized that he just wanted to protect the innocent. He wanted to kill the man that had murdered his parents; the man who tried to kill his Ginny…

But he didn't want to think about that now. All he wanted to do was to go up to his room, pull back his covers, and go to sleep, but first he would have to purchase a few house elves...

* * *

"Thank you sir, come again and tell your friends!" Hermione smiled and put the money into her cash register.

She was more than happy to hear that Abigail was safe and sound with Ginny. When she awoke to a missing baby, she nearly had a heart attack, but she was going to take her over there at some point during the day anyhow. Somehow Abigail had found her way into the port keys, which was rather odd... She must have been getting better with her magic. All of them were high enough up that she couldn't possibly have reached them…

A sudden slam against the store window made Hermione jump. She snapped her head around to see a young couple in a fierce snogging session in front of her store. Rolling her eyes, she walked over to the door and opened it, waving both hands.

"Both of you, shoo! Come on, the both of you are old enough to know bett-"

Upon realizing who the male of this equation was, her jaw dropped past her chest, and a loud gasp emitted from her mouth.

"Darby Smucker! What in the hell do you think you're doing!"

* * *

**A/N: **Anyone see this coming? Lol. In my original version of this story it was much more apparent that Darby was a jerk but I decided after reading it a few times that it was for the best to make him seem nicer. Of course! Why would Ginny be with a dick? Anyway lol if you liked it please do the right thing and leave a review for me! I love reviews and they're really encouraging, even if they're reviews telling me what I could do to make the story better. Well, I hope you enjoyed it!


	6. Chapter 6

**I Still…  
**

**A/N **I've been working on a lot of one-shots lately, as a way to perk up my writing. I haven't written in a while and I feel as though the more practice I can get, the better. I've been working pretty hard on making this story better, and I haven't been getting too many reviews, but I _have _been getting a lot of people putting my story on their favorites lists and alert lists, which I really appreciate. However, reviews are really helpful in telling me what I'm doing right and wrong here. Don't be afraid of hurting my feelings! Anyway, now that I've talked your ears off, read and enjoy!

* * *

_In the most attentive manner he had ever found himself able to utilize, Draco gently lay Ginny's head gently against the fluffy pillows he had placed by the headboard of his plush bed just for this kind of occasion.  
_

_His lips never left hers as he slid one hand under her body and under the back of her shirt. He gently caressed the skin just above her bottom. She giggled into his lips, though nervousness was coursing through her veins._

_Draco kissed his way down her neck, stopping to gently suck on her shoulder. "You okay Sugar?" he whispered, lazily sliding his eyes up to hers, drinking in every inch of her lovely skin, freckles and all.__ He had anticipated this moment for weeks, but he never thought that **he **would be the one who was nervous! He had done this dozens of times before, but with Ginny it was different. With her it was...  
_

_She nodded, her body with a mind of its own. "I'm alright…" Although she knew her shaky voice betrayed her._

"_Nervous?" he asked, his fingers reaching up to stroke her cheek. He pressed a soft kiss to her chest, moving his way down to kiss her stomach.  
_

_She felt her eyes widen, and she gulped harder than she meant to. "I-I... Um...No."_

"_It's okay Sugar, I promise. It's just me. You never have to be afraid of me." His voice was stronger than he meant for it to be.  
_

_Ginny nodded and looked away, doing her best to hide her face in the pillows._

"_Oh no you don't little lady," he said, moving his body over her quickly, so that his forehead was pressed against hers. He leaned down and captured her lips with his, gently easing her lips open with his own. Once he was satisfied her face was in place, he leaned back, looking into her eyes._

_"B-but, I don't want you to see me…" she said, pressing her face softly against his neck until he pulled himself away._

_He took her face into his hands and tilted her until she was forced to look at him. "Why would you deprive me of seeing that beautiful face of yours? That is just cruel and unusual punishment, miss."_

_She shrugged. "Well… I don't want you to see me blush."_

_He smirked. "By the time I'm done with you, you'll lose all of those inhibitions and you'll be telling me exactly what you want me to do to you in vivid details. Once you've reached that point, you'll have to use brute force to keep me away from you."_

_He leaned down and before she could really understand what was going on, hid head disappeared under the blankets._

* * *

No matter how I hide it  
Can't deny it  
Just can't let you go  
-I Still, BSB

* * *

"**Darbus Nathaniel Smucker how could you?"**

Darby held onto his flaming red cheek with a mixture of shock and anger. He hadn't expected Hermione to hit him, nor had he expected to land into the window of her Book Shop.

"Listen ma'am, I really don't think you understand our situation, so maybe you should calm down and we can talk about this like grown ups."

Hermione held her wand up toward the hussy's face. "I think you want to watch your mouth."

Darby reached out and took Hermione's arm. "Come on Hermione, you know this is all just a silly misunderstanding. Don't rush to any conclusions and do something you're going to regret later! This would crush Gin. Don't confuse her and ruin everything we've built."

Hermione thrust his arm away from hers with a look of disgust plastered all over her face. "_Oh _no, you're not going to put this back on me. Nice try, but no cigar. She's going to find out about this, and there's nothing you can say to make me think otherwise."

"Well you said you were leaving your old lady anyway, so why not just let her know now? Are you his mother ma'am?"

Hermione felt her face get hot. "I believe I told you to watch your mouth."

The much taller girl took a step toward Hermione, large breasts so high up they were practically under her chin. "Oh yeah? And what exactly do you th-"

Before another word had the chance to come from her mouth, the girl was gone.

"Okay Hermione, where did you put her?" Darby asked, spinning in circles. "And I never told her I was leaving Ginny. I would be an idiot to leave such a wonderful woman."

Hermione shook her head. "It doesn't matter what you said. You two are obviously familiar. This isn't the first time you've cheated, and if you try to argue with me I swear to Merlin there's going to be a problem. I'm not an idiot. I refuse to sit around and watch you treat my best friend like a piece of garbage!"

"Please don't tell her Hermione. Please? I'll do anything, just don-"

She held up a hand, halting him mid-sentence. "Oh I wasn't intending to tell her. I'm not that kind of person Darby, you should know that by now. No, I'm not even going to bring it up. That's because _you _are."

His eyes widened, his eyebrows furrowing. "Excuse me?"

"Quidditch training starts in three weeks? If she doesn't know by then, rest assured that I will tell her myself."

"Purely out of curiosity of course, what _did _you do with Angela? Where did you send her?"

Hermione squashed a fly that buzzed past her face with a grin. "No place important."

* * *

Ginny slid and nearly fell onto the marble of the kitchen floor as she chased Abigail around the kitchen with the light pink feather duster that had come with last year's Halloween costume. "Come back here big butt! I'm going to get you and tickle the heck out of you!"

The baby shrieked in excitement, sliding under the kitchen table and then landing in the corner of the room, tipping over the laundry basket. She made her way back to her feet and tried running again, but Ginny caught her around her waist.

"Oh no you don't!"

A knock at the door startled them both. The two looked at each other.

"Who is it?" Ginny shouted from where she was, followed by a loud "Who you!" There was still no response.

Ginny rolled her eyes and went to the door, opening it. "Hell- Um…Hello?" She placed the baby down behind her, then stepped ahead to block her from view of anything that may or may not have been trying to get inside.

Ginny looked all around, but there was nobody. That was when she saw it… Dangling from her doorknob was a strapless black ballgown with a lace trailed corset bodice. She picked it up and felt her jaw fall. It was gorgeous… It was lace, studded with...

She gasped. There were diamonds all across the bodice of this absolutely exquisite dress! She felt her heart pounding in a manner that she had never before felt.

Sure she had money, but she was never the type of woman who spent it frivolously. She had grown up poor and due to this fact tended to hoard her money as best as she possibly could. Much of her salary went back to her parents, but very few people knew that.

She turned around to show the very impatient little girl that was tugging at her pajama pants _exactly _what all the fuss was about.

"Abbers, look!"

The baby clapped her hands and waddled forward to touch the dress. " So pwetty auntie…" She spun in a circle, wrapping her whole body around the soft material.

Ginny looked around once more, still very confused as to where the dress could have possibly come from. "Where in the bloody hell…"

"Ooh _aun_tie!"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "So sorry to have offended you, Mother Theresa. What _ever _can I do to make it up to you?"

The little girl swayed her body with a naughty gleam in her eye before turning around to run in the opposite direction. "Can't get Abby! Can't get her!"

* * *

"I just wish I could have been there in that room to see the look on her face when she opened the door and saw that dress! That must have been epic!"

Draco shrugged. "I do too but at least you have the option of going over there and talking to her about it."

Blaise shrugged. "Oh yes because it won't look obvious if a virtual stranger who happened to go to school with her and now occasionally attends the same parties just knocks on her door, asking about mysterious packages. Yes, that happens all of the time, doesn't it?"

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Wait... That's an idea! An absolutely perfect idea!"

"Oh shut up! Merlin…Just go up to her door, and as soon as she opens it, say 'I am Draco Malfoy. Kiss me now.' And she'll just about swoon and jump into your arms and-"

Draco shook his head. "Zabini first of all, Fabio isn't on the cover of this one. And you didn't even give me the chance to share my ingenious plan! Now shut up and let me explain before I lose it and blame you for the rest of my life."

He rolled his eyes. "You've got no sense of romance Malfoy!" When Draco gave him a dirty look, he responded with "Well fine then, what do _you _suggest? And it had better be good. I could be upstairs with my wife right now. I hear the tub running, and you know how the scent of bubble bath gets to my senses..."

* * *

Darby was sitting at the bar of the dingy restaurant, swirling the ice around in his glass. This was his seventh drink, and yet he still felt like he needed another dozen or so of them. His jig was officially up. He was screwed beyond belief, and there was not a thing he could do about it. He was being forced to tell Ginny about his rendezvous with the other women because of that damned Hermione Granger twit…

Not that he didn't _ever _think this would come up; he did. He just wasn't prepared for it to happen this soon. He had been messing around on Ginny since before their engagement, and this was the way he liked it. He had a wife at home to make him look good, and girls all over the place to make him _feel _good. This was an arrangement that most men would kill for, and he just _had _it!

There had never been any real passion between Ginevra and himself, in his opinion. He just felt that she was someone to keep him company when he was home, a few mediocre fucks and that was all.

There was no denying that his wife was lovely...It was unbelievable how talented and rich they both were, and yet she was just too simple... Chasing her was fantastically fun, but once he caught her, it was instantly boring as all hell. It was wonderful having the woman that every man in the wizarding world wanted, but to have her alone...

She was _hardly_ the kind of beauty that a man like he deserved. He liked himself some leggy brunettes but he hardly enjoyed a wife nearly half his size! He shuddered at the thought of their last love making session. She was good enough for a few moments but just the thought of touching her made him sick to his stomach.

He rolled his eyes as he waited for his most recent date. He was going to tell her about his wife and how she was soon going to find out about all the women in his life... He rolled his eyes and wiped his forehead. A divorce was unheard of in his family. Purebloods don't divorce. They just don't.

He grinned when Ciara sat before him. "Hey baby! I've been thinking about you all day."

* * *

A light tap at the door startled Ginny out of her deep sleep. She rolled over, doing her best not to wake up her snoring, drunken husband. She leaned off the side of her bed, slid on her pink slippers and stretched as she walked down the steps. When she caught sight of the clock on the wall, she was shocked. It was _way _too early in the morning for anyone in their right mind to be awake, let alone knocking at her damned door.

"Who is it?" she said a little louder than she had meant to.

There was no answer, except for another tap at the door that made her shake with nervousness. She clutched to the wand in the pocket of her big fuzzy bathrobe, trying her best not to accidentally zap a hole into the soft fabric.

"Hello? Is there anyone there? What the hell is going on with this secretive shit tonight?"

She opened the door, only to see a newspaper on her doormat. She sighed. _Why they thought leaving the paper at two in the morning was a good idea, I will never understand._

She walked down the stairs and plopped herself onto her dragon-leather couch. Oh how she hated this damn thing... It wasn't her idea to buy it, it was her husband's idea.

Picking up the magazine from the center of the Sunday paper, Ginny flipped through the pages.

Apparently the Zabini family was having a ball... They had taken out a full two page ad, and listed everyone who was invited, as though _that _was a good idea. It was normal for pureblood families to announce invitations instead of actually issuing them, and this had always seemed like a stupid custom to Ginny, especially when there had been a war going on. It seemed that the rich had many secrets, but no interest in privacy.

Ginny rolled her eyes as she saw her name. Before she had money, she was never invited to anything, but these days everyone seemed to be interested in her company. She never really went to these events, but she got endless invitations.

That was when she realized that her name wasn't with all of the others. It had its own special place.

_**As a special treat to all of our guests, Chudly Cannons Seeker Ginevra Smucker will be joining us!**_

She huffed and puffed, her anger evident in her face, though nobody was there to be afraid at the moment. Had Abigail been awake, she would have refereed to this as the Red Auntie face.

The nerve of some people! Just _assuming _that she would be interested in going to their party because they were the highest up in society! When were they planning on asking her? She didn't just have tons of time on her hands to go to things like these, let _alone_ the amount of time it would require of her to get shoes, and a dress, and-

That was when Ginny remembered her brand new dress... The one that had been sent by the mystery fan... She shook her head. This was far too perfectly orchestrated to be a mere coincidence.

She stood up and walked to her coat closet. She had hidden the dress way in the back so Darby wouldn't see it. She shrugged off her robes and took a step into the dress pulling it up over her adequate bosoms. She zipped up the back and walked over to the full length mirror..

She was one of the most modest people she knew. She didn't take compliments about her physical appearance as well as other women in her age group. Being in this dress, however, gave her a sense of pride. Her long mane of curls traced the curves of her back. She had earned the loveliest shape, what with the gross amount of training she had to do. That, mixed with chocolate being her only vice created a rump, a chest, and a flat tummy.

She smiled as she looked herself up and down. Whoever had purchased this dress knew her well. She looked down, startled to see a green tag hanging out of the side. She lifted it to her eyes, hoping that it would give her some hint as to where the dress had come from.

A gasp escaped her lips as she read only two words, hand written in green ink.

_I Still..._

_

* * *

**A/N **_I think we might actually be nearing the end here... Hmmm... I haven't decided how much longer this story is going to be, but I'm really enjoying the direction this story has taken so far, and I think if I make it as long as I intended from the beginning, I will end up babbling. Anyway, if you liked this chapter I would really appreciate you reviewing it! Also, if you really didn't like this chapter, I think it's even more important for you to review and tell me what's going wrong!

Thanks for reading!


	7. Chapter 7

**I Still…**

**A/N **Three years guys. Ugh, I am so sorry! Life has a habit of getting in the way. I was working on some original stuff, working, moving, school, etc. But I am back and I am hopefully going to finish this up soon! Well, here goes nothing. I hope you like it!

"_I'm going to need you to explain to me what is going on between you and my sister, and I'm going to need you to explain it to me as quickly as you know how."_

_For the first time in his life, Draco was mildly afraid of a Weasley. Charlie, otherwise known as Professor Weasley, was a bit older than the others, and though he was not physically threatening him at the moment, he knew that in a fight, he would lose. This member of the Weasley clan worked with many a dangerous creature, and had built up quite a bit of muscle._

"_What do you mean?" Draco muttered, trying to keep the nervousness out of his voice._

"_I know you've been spending a lot of time with her, and pardon me for saying, but there is no reason for a Slytherin to be around a Weasley unless he's trying to either play a prank, or take advantage. I want to know which of the two you're after. Are you hurting her? Or are the hushed whispers in the halls true? Do you love her?"_

_Draco was aghast. Of _course _he wasn't in love with her. They had been spending time with one another for less than a month. A few kisses suddenly meant love? In recent times he had begun to question his own feelings. She was a lovely girl. She made him laugh, but wasn't the type of girl to roll over. She was strong willed and didn't care what others thought of her. Sure she was of interest, but love? He knew he wasn't in love quite yet, but boy was he getting close._

"_In an effort not to be murdered I am tempted to tell you that I am, but my honest answer is that I am not. It's a Seventh Year fling, if I might be frank with you. Just a girl to have on my arm at parties. Someone who will ignite shock from my classmates. She's well aware of our arrangement. She is not being taken advantage of, and I am most certainly not in love."_

_Bill shook his head and sighed. "Coming from someone who has known my sister for her entire life, hear me when I tell you, you will be. Just promise me that you will do nothing to harm her, and I will leave you alone."_

_Draco raised an eyebrow. "For someone who has known her for her entire life, you seem to underestimate her strength. I doubt I could harm her if I tried. Like I said, this isn't a romantic arrangement."_

"_She is a very special girl. Before you know it, you'll be able to control your emotions, and those inconvenient teen hormones will become much more apparent to you. Just be good to her, okay mate?"_

_**I never meant to be anything to her**_…

**No matter how I fight it**  
**Can't deny it**  
**Just can't let you go**  
**-I Still, BSB**

"The dress was absolutely perfect. I put it on, and it felt like I was wearing nothing. It fits like nothing has ever fit me before… For someone to be able to make a purchase for me like that, they would have to know my body very well. There aren't many people who do…"

The dress had really shaken her up. She wasn't used to receiving such thoughtful gifts. She had clarified that her husband hadn't purchased it for her, and nobody else she knew had either. It was lovely, and covered in diamonds. This dress must have been incredibly expensive. Though she was a member of the New Money society, she would never fully understand the concept of extravagant spending.

From the moment she saw the dress, slipped it onto her body and looked into the mirror, all she could think of was her first love. Her best friend very easily read her face.

Hermione touched her hand and shook her head. "We all accepted his death years ago. It's just a secret admirer trying to be cryptic."

"But how would they know about this?" She tugged the ring out so Hermione could see it. For the year or so after he left, Ginny kept that ring to herself. She wore it on her finger, and whenever anybody asked where she'd gotten it, she would smile and say "_It was a gift." _Nobody knew that this gift was really from the love of her life. There was a point in Hogwarts where their love wasn't a secret... Teenagers quite often believe that their lives are being watched by everybody. Very few realize that nobody really cares.

"I don't know. Fans know some creepy things about you sometimes. They know your name, where you live, who your family is. They are _in love _and therefore need to have a freakish amount of knowledge in order to feel that they really know you somehow."

Ginny was shaking from head to toe. She ran a hand through her hair and swallowed hard. "What if I never got over him? What if my whole marriage has been a lie? I told myself that we weren't anything. I said that if he never came back it would be ok, but here I am. The same shaking 16 year old girl, waiting for the boy she loves to come home from the war. What am I supposed to do? How will Darby ever forgive me? He has been such a wonderful husband to me. I don't know how I can explain to him that I've been a horrible wife. One who has been in love with someone else this whole time."

Keeping this secret from Ginny was killing her, but Hermione did her best not to reveal what she knew. "Your marriage isn't a lie just because you had a first love. You loved each other. He died. There's nothing you can do about it, so do your best to remember your love as it was and move on. He will always live within your heart, but you need to move on and live your life as Ginevra. Not as a wife. Not as a sports star. But as Ginevra."

"I don't even know who I am anymore… That's the problem."

Hermione shook her head. "You behave as though you're this big strong woman. And that is who you are. You're strong at work. You're strong in front of your fans. You are strong in front of your family. Sometimes it's okay not to be. It's okay to cry Gin. It's okay to accept the fact that you're human."

Ginny leaned into her best friend and began to cry her sad little eyes out.

"Hopefully this whole party plan works out. I'm not expecting everything to go perfectly, and to go home with a wife, but I think this is a great way to start."

"Let me get this straight. You've been out of her life for nine years. You haven't written. You knew she, and everyone else thought you were dead, but you never told anyone. Now, you buy her a pretty dress, plan a party, intend to show up as a complete surprise not only to her, but to _everyone_. And you think this is a great idea?"

Draco and Blaise both turned to look at Pansy, who was filing her nails.

"I don't know about the Weasley girl, but if it were me, and you just disappeared off the face of the earth, then expected to come back into my life like nothing happened, years later? I would likely punch you right in the mouth, and then I would go straight home."

Draco shook his head. "I know it sounds crazy. And you also sound a little crazy… But I just want her to know that I've never forgotten her. I want her to know that I am willing to show the whole world how I feel this time, and not just keep her in my back pocket."

"If I remember correctly," muttered Blaise, "You two weren't even intending to make it long term anyway. Wasn't it just supposed to be a seventh year fling?"

Draco took a deep breath. "Originally, it was. But I just couldn't help myself. I wanted it to end but she made it impossible…And now, I want her to understand that it wouldn't be the same. No more sneaking kisses in the halls. No more whispering in the middle of class. Our relationship was more than just a fling to me, and I hope she feels the same way."

"Isn't she married?" came Pansy's rudely muttered outburst. "Why would she break up a marriage for you?"

Draco sighed. "There's no reason why she would. I don't even know that she's missed me."

Blaise choked. "Are you kidding? I was at your funeral, you weren't. This girl was sobbing more than anyone. Your mum was silent, but Ginevra Weasley? She was in the papers. After the funeral, she refused to leave your grave. She curled up in a ball in front of your tomb stone and sobbed. So much so that your mother actually patted her head in a sullen attempt at comfort. She was devastated."

Pansy scoffed. "So devastated that she accepted a job with the Cannons two weeks later, and was married in less than a year? I never liked her, and I probably never will, but if you are convinced that this ball will work, then I guess I'll try to help however you'd like."

"So this lovely ball they've _invited _you to. Did they have anything in mind for your being there? Are you supposed to speak, or just be a guest at the party? They're tacky enough, how much would you like to wager that they'll have a table set up for you to sign autographs?"

Ginny shrugged. "I don't know. They didn't officially even ask me, I just read it in the paper. It wasn't presented as though I was invited. It was presented as though it were some special treat, and that I had already agreed to show up. I should just stay home. They're awfully pompous for just assuming that I'd come without being asked."

"While I would normally agree with you, it might be nice to go to a function like this. Meet people who are more…In your tax bracket these days?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "You know I have absolutely no interest in being a snob. Although, I might just go anyway…" Her thoughts suddenly went to that note. _I still…_ Looking down at her ring, she sighed. The chances of it being him were nonexistent. Yet there was still that little bit of her heart yearning to hold him just one more time.

"Darby won't come with me. He said we have to talk tonight when he gets home, and I think he might be leaving early for season training. He does this every season you know. I don't know why he needs so much extra practice time. The Cannons never ask me to come so early."

Hermione twiddled her thumbs. "Yeah, maybe I can come with you, if you like."

Ginny smiled big. "That sounds wonderful! I can get you a dress and we can go together! We can match. I can get you a dress that looks a bit like mine. Then everyone will know that the lovliest lady at the ball is on my arm." She giggled and hooked arms with her best friend. "Yes, I'll buy you a lovely dress."

Hermione shook her head. "No love, I can get myself a dress. I don't need you lavishing me with expensive gifts! I don't care how much money you have now, I can get myself something nice. Maybe I'll get the material and make it myself."

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "I never said it would be expensive. I could buy you a rag."

The two girls giggled away together in a way that onlookers would take as their adolescence.

"We don't have a huge amount of time to figure this out. If she tells my wife we'll get a divorce. If we get a divorce I lose all of my credibility. Ugh, what am I supposed to do?"

"Well," came the slippery voice of his long time lover as she delicately caressed his bare chest, "There's always the Obliviate charm. You could make her forget ever seeing you there. Or you could spin the story to the tabloids, making her cheat on you, or at least have it look that way to the press."

Darby put a hand to his lips. "Make it seem like the divorce is her fault… So if I go to my lawyer first and plan out a divorce, tell them she was cheating or doing something ridiculous, the tabloids will catch wind of it first and then _she'll_ look like the bad guy."

Olive winked. "Then we'll be free to be with one another finally, after all of these years!"

"Hmmm…" came Darby's skeptical disagreement. "Don't get ahead of yourself. We won't have to sneak about, but don't push it."

_**A/N **_It's been many moons since I've published a chapter but here we are. I'll work on the rest and hopefully it won't take another three years! If things go the way I want them to, I will be able to finish it up before I start my new semester in school. Cross your fingers for me! And please, do your part and help encourage me to write some more with some beautiful reviews!


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